“I am the penny whistle of American literature.”

Source: As quoted in “Race & Resistance Literature & Politics In Asian America" (2002) p.3

On her encouraging that Americans read literature beyond their country in “Samanta Schweblin on Revealing Darkness Through Fiction” https://lithub.com/samanta-schweblin-on-revealing-darkness-through-fiction/ in LitHub (2017 Jan 12)

The Canterbury Guests: or, a bargain broken (1695), Act II, scene iv.

"Meeting at Winkel" http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E1DE1538F935A3575AC0A964948260&scp=36&sq=, The New York Times (6 September 1982)

Myself
The Note-Books of Samuel Butler (1912), Part XII - The Enfant Terrible of Literature

Vol. I, Ch. 1 : A Man of His Day, p. 8
New Grub Street : A Novel (1891)
Context: I am learning my business. Literature nowadays is a trade. Putting aside men of genius, who may succeed by mere cosmic force, your successful man of letters is your skilful tradesman. He thinks first and foremost of the markets; when one kind of goods begins to go off slackly, he is ready with something new and appetising. He knows perfectly all the possible sources of income. Whatever he has to sell he'll get payment for it from all sorts of various quarters; none of your unpractical selling for a lump sum to a middleman who will make six distinct profits.

Act III, sc. xii
The Miser (1733)

Preface, Poor Richard's Almanack (1758)
Poor Richard's Almanack